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Ex-Gallery employee charged with arson

By Jay McIntosh -- Furniture Today, August 10, 2009

HOUSTON — Robert Carroll Gillham, a former Gallery Furniture employee who had been fired from his job, has been charged with first-degree felony arson in the May 21 blaze that destroyed the retailer's warehouse here.

At a press conference July 28, officials from the Houston Fire Department and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said Gillham was in custody in a nearby county on an unrelated burglary charge.

The Houston Chronicle, quoting court documents, reported that Gillham had told several people that he was angry with McIngvale and wanted to burn the store.

Gallery owner Jim McIngvale also spoke at the press conference, again thanking firefighters for their “miraculous” effort in saving the retail showroom adjacent to the warehouse. About 50% of the showroom, which suffered water damage, reopened on July 4 and the remainder is expected to reopen Labor Day weekend.

Neither McIngvale nor the officials would comment on how long Gillham had worked at the store or say why he was terminated.

McIngvale said it was difficult knowing that the suspect was a former employee. But he said the current Gallery employees are relieved that an arrest has been made.

“It lifted a lot of tension off everybody because we've had this cloud hanging over us for two months now,” he said. He praised investigators for their work in making the arrest.

Rob Elder of the Houston ATF office said his investigators and the Houston Fire Department had conducted some 150 interviews in the case. He said McIngvale and his employees were very cooperative.

Officials have estimated damage from the fire at between $15 million and $20 million.

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Former Gallery Furniture employee charged with arson

Jul 28, 2009

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